When I first got my quail I looked everywhere for suitable ways to supply water. Bowls get dirty fast and so do chick waterers. Any sort of receptacle just accumulated filth.

Dare I try… Rabbit water bottles? The opening seemed large enough, the chicks were already raised with nipple drinkers, so was it really such a stretch?

Well, they work wonderfully and I now use them almost exclusively. I do still use crocks as well in winter when the bottles start to freeze, but all in all my birds are healthier and easier to maintain with this method.

Don’t worry if your quail don’t figure it out right away. When they get thirsty, they’ll begin searching around for water and once one has figured it out, they’ll all catch on. They peck the little ball and sip the drip that follows. It works very nicely with very little wastage.

I’ll bet lots of other kinds of pet birds could learn to use pet water bottles as well. Regardless of whether you also offer water in a bath or a dish, this ensures a steady source of clean drinking water.